The Meaning of Christmas
by The Four Minds
Summary: Shadow hears about Christmas and is confused. It's up to Dodger to teach her the meaning of Christmas.


Okay, Puma, Dusk and myself (Wolfsong) wanted to write a short Christmas story, but didn't get to it before Christmas. You know how it is around this time of year. Anyway, we wrote this two days after Christmas and believe it or not, it's about Shadow and Dodger. We just wanted to try something. This happens before 'Facing the Past.' And for all of you out there, yes, it does involve mistle toe. Read on and enjoy.  
  
The Meaning of Christmas  
The Four Minds (actually, the  
forth mind had noting to do with  
this. Cheers.)  
  
Summary: Shadow hears about Christmas and is confused. It's up to Dodger to teach her the meaning of Christmas.  
  
Note: Though all of us are Christian gals, we decided to go with the Santa Claus meaning for this. We didn't want a chance to offend someone.  
  
After a long day of shoveling snow, a punishment given by Logan, Shadow walked into the mansion, snow falling from her boots. After shedding her coat and gloves in the front foyer, she preceded into the main living room. When she entered, she was stopped suddenly by the sight before her. She meticulously went on. Once in the kitchen, she joined Dodger, Gambit and Rogue who were drinking eggnog and Nature, Saber and Wolverine discussing the latest episode of Passions. Before commenting on that, she said, "Has anyone noticed...there's a tree...a pine tree...in the living room?" She looked around at all the unmoving faces. "Nature, did you put a tree...a large pine tree...in the living room?"  
  
"No. Like I was saying..." she went back to her discussion with Logan and Illya.  
  
"Dodger,...uh,...why is there a large pine tree in the living room? Have I missed something?"  
  
"Cool your jets, Shady. It's just a Christmas tree. Charles had it brought in this morning."  
  
"Uh...Why do we have a Christmas tree?" Shadow asked, surprised no one else found having a tree in the house weird.  
  
"For Christmas, sugah. The prof gets one every year." Rogue commented from her eggnog glass.  
  
"What's Christmas?" Shadow asked innocently. Everyone stopped to look at her.  
  
"Don' tell Gambit ya don' know what Christmas is, chere." Shadow just stood there, feeling all eyes on her.  
  
"You really don't know what Christmas is, do you, pet?" Dodger asked setting his glass of eggnog down. Again she just stood there. "Okay, come with me." He led Shadow out of the kitchen. Leading her to the living room, he stopped in front of a large fireplace and turned to speak to her. "Let's start at the beginning. Every year on the twenty-fifth of December humans around the world celebrate Christmas." He paused for a moment.  
  
"That's what the big two-day drinking party was for." Shadow said, almost to herself. Then noticed the questioning look on Dodger's face. "New Orleans, hon."  
  
He continued. And when he was finished, she began repeating the information just given her to make sure she got it all.  
  
"Okay, so this big, fat guy in a red suit climbs down that fireplace..." she pointed to the one behind them, "...leaves presents under a tree, then eats and drinks milk and cookies someone left for him, then climbs back out the chimney, gets into a wooded sleigh pulled by eight flying deer, and flies to his home in the North Pole."  
  
"That's the gist of it. There are other beliefs and traditions around the world."  
  
"There's more?" she questioned. "And deer can't fly."  
  
"Yes, there's more. And his reindeer do fly."  
  
"How? Prove it."  
  
"Well," having to have to prove it was causing him to think harder. "They just do, okay? It's one of those things people believe in. Like fairy tales and happy ever after."  
  
"So you don't know?"  
  
"Of course I don't know. It's what the Sisters told us growing up."  
  
"The Sisters?" she crooked her head to look at him.  
  
"Long story. Never mind, pet. But, yes. That's what Christmas is. Unless you're like Kurt and believe the Christian meaning behind it, but that's another story. I'll tell you it next year."  
  
"Are there any traditions I should know about this year?" she asked, exasperated by all this information.  
  
"Well, Santa comes on Christmas Eve, then on Christmas day everyone opens their presents and there's a big dinner feast, and then, of course, there's the thing about mistle toe." He stopped there.  
  
"What's mistle toe?"  
  
"It's this plant that's hung in a doorway, and if two people get stuck under it, they, by tradition, have to kiss. It looks like this." and he pulled out a small piece from the fireplace. Seeing it, Shadow knocked it away screaming, "Keep it away! Keep it away!" He just laughed. "No worries, pet." and he tossed it back onto the fireplace, and walked away.  
  
Later in her room, Shadow was still confused about what Dodger had told her. "A fat man in a red suit." She spoke aloud. "Down the chimney." She laughed. Still restless, she began to dig through her closet, looking for nothing particular. For some reason, she felt she should give Dodger a present. Finally settling on something, she set to work.  
  
That night, close to midnight, after everyone had went to bed, she began to sneak into everyone's rooms. There were only three days left before Christmas and she didn't know if she would have enough time.  
  
The next day, Shadow was constantly running and locking herself in her room. Everyone noticed this and became curious and worried. Dodger, elected by all at the dinner table, went to check on her. After knocking on her door, she told him to wait outside where she would join him shortly. He couldn't get a good look inside when she came out, quickly closing the door behind her. "What's up?"  
  
"Everyone was wondering, what's going on with you, pet? You're acting weird today."  
  
"I'm fine. Really. I'm just...busy. That's all. I'm not up to anything. Honest."  
  
"That's why everyone worried. On a normal day, you've already gotten into trouble with Logan and are usually hiding in my room."  
  
"Well,...there's just something I have to do without anyone knowing." With that she stepped back into her room, slamming the door in Dodger's face.  
  
The next evening after training with Cyclops in the Danger Room, Shadow grabbed a quick sandwich and drink and ran to her room. Again she had disappeared with out explaining why. Dodger was really starting to worry about her. She didn't seem to have as much energy, but unless she would tell anyone what she was doing, there was nothing he could do. So he went on about his business.  
  
The next day was Christmas Eve. The tree and mansion had been decorated the day before. Everyone was excited about the holiday. Even Logan was seen to have an occasional smile on his face. That scared a few people when he called a meeting in the Danger Room. When all had arrived, he informed them that all training sessions were canceled for the holidays. There was a loud cheer that rang through the halls. Shadow saw this as more time to spend in her room.  
  
That night, after everyone had went to bed, Shadow snuck down to place her present under the tree, and wait for the big man in the red suit. After placing it, she went and stood under the doorway leading to the kitchen. There she waited and watched.  
  
Dodger had been laying in bed, worrying about Shadow. He lay there a while longer until he heard a noise on the main floor. Knowing he was wearing baggy clothes, he didn't bother to use his power. Without grabbing a flashlight, he headed down stairs to check out the noise.  
  
As he landed at the bottom of the stairs, he entered the main living room. He walked over toward the Christmas tree, noticed one present, then heard another soft noise. Passing the fireplace, he walked towards the kitchen entrance. He stopped when he noticed her hunkered down in the doorway.  
  
"What are you doing down here, pet?" He walked over to her and noticed the bat in her hand. "And why do you have that?"  
  
"Eighteen years, he never came to see me. The red man and I are going to have a heart to heart."  
  
He laughed. "Shadow, I forgot to tell you that the story of Santa is for children. There was a Santa Claus hundreds of years ago who gave presents to children, but he died long ago." He carefully removed the bat from her hand.  
  
"Not fair. I never go to met the man." Shadow truly looked upset.  
  
"Pet, I've never met him, but that doesn't mean his spirit doesn't exist anymore. I'm sorry. I got your hopes up."  
  
"Yes you did." and she punched him hard in the arm. Her hand landed, resting on his chest, and the other joined it involuntarily. For a moment he looked up then back down to her. When the smile grew on his handsomely shadowed faced, she looked up. "Oh crap."  
  
"Must follow tradition, pet." That said, he took her in his arms, hers sliding around his waist, one up to his back, and he captured her mouth with his. It was a deep, passionate kiss filled with heat and fire that filled both with an undescribable fever. He had kissed many women in his life, but none had been as wanting as her. She had dated before, he knew, but not to any extent, and they had ended badly, but there was still a wanting in her.  
  
When he released her, she looked up at him, a peaceful smile on her face. He looked down at her and smiled again. "We're still under the mistle toe, pet." He half expected her to react badly to that, but instead, she leaned into him and he kissed her again, this one briefer, but still as deep. "We had better get back to bed." he said gently picking her up and carried her up the stairs.  
  
Once he reached her room, he placed the bat in a cornet, carried her over to the bed and laid her down. Softly he lifted the covers and placed them on her up to her neck. She pulled her hands out and laid them across her stomach. He was starting to leave and she reached up, pulled him closer and kissed him lightly again. "Goodnight, pet." he whispered against her lips then left. She sighed peacefully and fell asleep, thoughts of men in red suits and Dodger filling her head; and the surprise awaiting him the next morning.  
  
The next morning, Christmas morning, everyone headed to the main living room. The area around the tree was packed with presents of all sizes. After everyone had gathered in front of the tree, the Pack included, Xavier handed out gifts a few at a time. This took most of the morning.  
  
Everyone had received their gifts and were now filing into the kitchen for breakfast. Shadow noticed Dodger had not opened her gift. She yelled at him to stop before he left the living room. He came and stood by the fireplace and asked, "What?"  
  
"Hold on." and she scrambled under the tree for the forgotten gift. She found it pushed all the way to the back. "Here." She handed the box to him.  
  
"What's this, pet?" He looked over the box.  
  
"It's a present. Open it." she commanded.  
  
"Does it bite?"  
  
"No. I made it."  
  
"Is it going to explode?"  
  
"Just open it, please." Her voice was serious.  
  
"Okay." So he did. And when he did, he pulled out a very large, very heavy blanket. "Pet, where did you, when did you make this?" he asked unfolding it all the way. "You could get lost in this."  
  
"You'd be amazed how long a body can go without sleep." she laughed. "I stole clothes from everyone, but most of them are shirts I'll never wear, so, I was cleaning my closet and well there."  
  
"This is what you've been doing for three days? Pet, you've barely gotten any sleep." He was amazed by this gift. "Where'd you learn to sew?"  
  
"You'd be amazed at what Sinister made me learn." She smiled. He obviously liked the gift. "So you like it?"  
  
"Yes, Shadow, I love it. Here," he turned around and then back to her, handing her a small box. She took it and opened it. "A stuffed animal box?" she questioned. "Keep going." he encouraged. She opened the fuzzy, lamb shaped box to find another, smaller box inside. She sighed and opened it. In lay a beautiful silver knife, cards printed on the jeweled handle, and "Shadow" deeply engraved into the blade that was serrated.  
  
"Dodger, this is...beautiful. It even has my name on it. Thank you." She reached up and hugged his neck. "Even for the lamb box thing." He laughed at that. "Did you notice?" She pointed to one of the corners. He read it out loud. "'Darian Wells. December 25. Shadow.' I guess you've learned the meaning of Christmas." He said wrapping the extra large blanket around both of them.  
  
"Yeap. Christmas is about being with those you love." He smiled down at her wrapped in his arms. "How about breakfast, pet?"  
  
The End?  
  
Now you know that's not the end, but it's not like they died so it can't really be the end. Oh, well. We, the Four Minds, want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy and safe New Year. 


End file.
